Holiday Scams Podcast Transcript

Welcome to the Informed Consumer, providing the latest tips and tools to
assist consumers in making informed decisions, from the Fairfax County
Consumer Affairs Branch.

Today’s topic: Holiday Scams.

The following are some scams to be aware of during the holiday season:

Fake holiday jobs: Most of these are work-from-home jobs. If a
bogus employer asks for money up front or your Social Security number,
you could be a potential scam victim.

Fake charities: Never give money to any charity without checking
them out first. Whether they come to your door or approach you in the
mall parking lot, ask for credentials and information and tell them
you’ll consider it later. The Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs
maintains a list of registered charities, call 1-800-552-9963.

Check scams: This usually involves cashier’s checks. Someone who
wants to buy your merchandise will offer to pay more than your asking
price, on the condition that you return the difference. Weeks later, you
find out from your bank that the check was a fake, and you’re now without
your money and your merchandise.

Counterfeit merchandise: Street vendors may sell fake watches,
purses and other items that appear to be high-end, name-brand
merchandise.

Non-delivery of merchandise bought online: Make sure you
check out the website from which you are buying the merchandise or check
out the company.

E-mail scams: These start with an e-mail that invites you to do
something or looks like a directive from your bank. They could also tout
fake lotteries or other fake contests, and fake charities.

Phishing scams: In these scams, e-mails that appear to come from
a legitimate company contain a link that sends you to a website where
you're asked to enter personal information. The site, run by a scammer,
is designed to look like that of a legitimate business.

Items-off-of-a-truck scams: Yahoo.com explains this as a roving
gang of scammers masquerading as delivery men. They pull a truck up in a
parking lot, then say that they can sell you something cheap, like
speakers or electronics, implying that it’s stolen. At best, the goods
will be low-quality knockoffs. At worst, you could be receiving stolen
goods.

Limited quantities: An online scam in which a merchant offers
supposedly great products at unbeatable prices, but when you place your
order you’re told they have a limited number, and to get the deal, you
have to buy several of the items.

Bait and switch: An old and still effective scam. You buy one
thing, but receive quite another.

Gift card scams: Gift card tampering involves scammers, with
special software, who find validated cards with money on them and then
spend the money before the unsuspecting victim has a chance to try to
spend it.

Thanks for listening to the Informed Consumer. For more information on
this topic or if you feel that you’ve been a victim of a scam, please
contact the Consumer Affairs Branch at 703-222-8435 or visit our web site
at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer.
Informed Consumer is produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia,
government.